We come to the end of this little journey in this little letter of First John.
We have heard of the broad sweep of what God has done for the word he loves in the Son he gave for the life he calls us to live. It is very grand in scale and yet practical in the living of it. Faith, love and obedience to what the Apostles reveal of God from what they saw and heard and touched in Jesus of Nazareth is the life to which John calls us.
Today we hear this rather abrupt and very direct little directive in the last sentence of this letter.
21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
I wonder why John ends his letter speaking of idols?
Idols are part of this anti-messiah world that have their pull on our heart strings. John did warn us not to give our hearts to the world because this will destroy love and hope. John has also shown us that God’s heart for us is lavish in scale and that this can make our hearts lavish in love for each other. Idols must be a threat to this love.
We will reflect on idols and John’s remedy for how we guard giving our hearts to them and instead, keep our heart firmly attached to God’s truth in Jesus so we can love.
May you know God’s heart of love for you today so that your heart is full of love for people around you. This love between people is how the world comes to know Jesus’ love and hope.